From Plate to Waste: A Hands‐On Activity to Dramatize the Function of the Digestive System to First Graders via Zoom

Abstract

The purpose of this STEM Teaching Fellowship was to teach K‐6 students about the human body and to encourage and inspire curiosity about STEM. The one‐hour session took place via Zoom with 12 first grade students at the Boys and Girls Club STEM Lab. The students were presented with an interactive PowerPoint presentation explaining the anatomy and physiology of the human digestive system. Following the presentation, the students were given the opportunity to ask questions before moving on to the hands‐on activity. The purpose of the activity was to actively engage the students in learning about the role and importance of the digestive system. The students remained together in one room and they were put in groups of 2‐3 around a large rectangular table. The STEM director was on‐site to assist. The activity consisted of different stations where each station represented one component of the digestive system. To measure the students’ comprehension, they were asked several questions before moving on to each new station and this continued throughout the duration of the activity. The students were taught about the important of keeping their digestive system healthy and ways to achieve this goal. As a homework assignment they were asked to tell one person about something the learned during the session. Outreach for K‐6 students, especially during the COVID‐19 pandemic, is important because the students need to be exposed to STEM related subjects frequently for them to learn. It is important to continuously intellectually engage and interact with students via virtual learning and not wait until Face‐to‐Face opportunities are available.